Germany reveals secret techie soldier unit, new cyberweapons

Main building of the University Viadrina in Frankfurt (Oder). (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

We have ways of making you pwned

By John Leyden • Get more from this author  8th June 2012 11:29 GMT

CyCon 2012 Germany has confirmed that its military maintains an operational cyberwarfare unit with offensive capabilities.

The admission, which appeared in parliamentary documents published on Tuesday, gave no details of the size of the unit much less any operations that it might have run. However documents delivered to the German federal defence committee did reveal that the unit has been operating for six years since 2006, a year before the cyber-attack on Estonia and four years before the discovery of the infamous Stuxnet worm.

http://ds.serving-sys.com/BurstingRes/Site-27237/Type-2/e53ce8c1-9790-4f5e-b89e-03b2539b45a7.swf“The initial capacity to operate in hostile networks has been achieved,” the papers explain, adding that the Computer Network Operations Unit had carried out “simulations” of attacks in a “closed laboratory environment”, German press agency DPA reports.

The unit reports to the joint forces strategic intelligence command. Legislators reportedly expressed surprise at the existence of the unit and questioned whether military commanders had the legal authority to launch attacks on foreign networks.

Prof Dr Wolff Heintschel von Heinegg, a professor of law at European University Viadrina Frankfurt in Germany, told El Reg that the armed forces of many nations are probably building up an offensive cyber capability. The only difference is that Germany and (also recently) the Obama administration is the US are publicly talking about it.

“The German MoD see a potential in having an offensive cyber-op capability as well as an ability to defend critical infrastructures”, most notably military systems, Dr Heintschel von Heinegg explained.

Cyber warfare

Photo: Illustrative photo: Reuters and Marc Israel Sellem

Cyber Warfare is fast becoming a dominant element in every developed country’s military arsenal.

By JPOST EDITORIAL

06/07/2012 23:27

Judging from the slew of news over the past week or so, the field of cyber warfare is fast becoming a dominant element in every developed country’s military arsenal.

In a span of just a few days there has been a flurry of news items related to cyber warfare: the anti-virus firm Kaspersky discovered that Iran’s nuclear program was struck again, this time by Flame, which effectively turns every computer it infects into a spy; The New York Timesreported that the US and Israel were behind the Stuxnet worm, which also attacked Iran’s nuclear program; NATO held its Fourth International Conference on Cyber Conflict; and Israel hosted its own conference on cyber warfare at Tel Aviv University.

Indeed, there is good reason for the rising interest – and deployment – of cyber warfare. After all, there are many appealing aspects to cyber warfare.

Instead of wreaking mass destruction and snuffing out human life, countries can instead attack virtual targets in cyberspace. An aggressor state does not need to expose its own troops to the dangers of conventional or unconventional warfare, thus avoiding casualties and the difficulty Western societies have coping with these casualties. And since cyber weapons can be deployed anonymously from a distance, the aggressor often does not risk political fallout let alone absorbing a retaliatory attack.

Indeed, cyber warfare seems so bloodless and “clean” that there hardly appear to be any real ethical dilemmas with which to grapple.

Just War Theory, based on Judeo-Christian moral principles and Western moral philosophy, is concerned with limiting human casualties and physical damage.

When warfare is waged using a piece of code against some intangible objects, without directly causing casualties or physical damage, the anthropocentric principles of Just War Theory hardly seem to apply.

Nevertheless, it would be a mistake to claim that cyber warfare can be conducted without a consideration of its moral limits. For instance, if it knocks out electricity and the refrigeration necessary to protect supplies, even a modest cyber attack could lead to starvation and the suffering of thousands of innocent.

‘Terrorism in Asia can be only prevented by SCO members’

An interview with Viktor Nadein-Rayevsky, Institute of World Economy & International Relations, Moscow

Thu Jun 7, 2012 4:6PM GMT

That is important that there have been several military exercises that give opportunity for joint operations here in Central Asia. Of course, this organization is the only real mechanism that can help stop terrorist activities here. It is a problem of course and this problem is on the way of solution.”

Iran’s President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has lashed out at NATO‘s eastward expansion, saying it’s aimed at stopping the growth of the member states of Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO).

 

Ahmadinejad said NATO members are trying to resurrect what he called past colonialist relations, adding “the colonialists are equally opposed to the development of China, Russia, India and Iran as well as other members of the SCO.”

He further called for a new world order, saying the current one has failed because of its “inhumane and unfair nature.”

The SCO is an intergovernmental organization that was founded in 2001 in Shanghai by the leaders of China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan.

Iran, India, Mongolia, Afghanistan and Pakistan are observer members of the organization.

Press TV has conducted an interview with Viktor Nadein-Rayevsky from Moscow’s Institute of World Economy & International Relations to further discuss the issue. The following is a rough transcription of the interview.

 

Press TV:Nadein-Rayevsky, tell us what you think about the declaration especially the fact that it seems very firm regarding the expansion of the Western countries, in particular the United States, as they have said with the concentration in the Asia-Pacific.

Nadein-Rayevsky:In fact, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in the last years has become a rather prominent and important partner of many international organizations in the world.

First of all, that was very important that it begins the cooperation from real problems; problems that are dangerous for all the countries of the region. First of all, there is the problem of terrorism and, of course, the problems of separatism and drug trafficking which are very dangerous things the countries of the region have to deal with.

NZ Hosts Pacific Regional Counter-Terrorism Exercise

Royal Standard of New Zealand. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Friday, May 06, 2011 10:26 AM

BY PACIFC ISLANDS FORUM SECRETARIAT

PRESS STATEMENT from the office of New Zealand Foreign Minister, Hon. Murray McCully – Wednesday 4th May 2011 – Foreign Minister, Murray McCully, says a Pacific regional counter-terrorism exercise is being hosted in New Zealand this week.

Exercise Ready Pasifika brings together police, legal experts and senior officials responsible for counter-terrorism from 14 Pacific Island countries for a table-top exercise being held in Auckland.

“While there is only a low level of threat to the Pacific region from terrorism, nowhere can be considered completely immune,” said Mr McCully.

“The high level of involvement in this exercise demonstrates the importance New Zealand and Pacific Island Forum governments attach to cooperation against international terrorism,” he said

The exercise coincides with the Working Group on Counter-Terrorism‘s annual meeting. This is the only regular regional forum for countries to discuss international counter-terrorism trends and identify priorities for assistance.

This year it is being attended by the head of the UN Counter-Terrorism Executive Directorate, Ambassador Mike Smith, as well as Pacific Forum member and observer countries and a number of regional security organisations.

“United Nations’ resolutions have required member states to restrict the movement, organisation and fund-raising activities of terrorist groups,” said Mr McCully

“Many smaller states have lacked the resources to fully comply with international standards and for the last five years New Zealand has taken a lead role on assisting Pacific Island countries meet their counter-terrorism obligations.”

“New Zealand has provided funding for counter-terrorism technical assistance in the region through the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime and the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat,” he said

‘Need for greater Indo-US counterterrorism cooperation’

 

united states currency seal – IMG_7366_web (Photo credit: kevindean)

Last Updated: Saturday, June 09, 2012, 08:15

Washington: There is need for greater counterterrorism cooperation between India and US, an eminent US lawmaker has said.

“I believe that one of the most important decisions the US has made in recent years is to strengthen our relationship with the democratic nation of India. With that relationship, one of our most important decisions has been to cooperate and coordinate on matters dealing with homeland security,” Congressman Joe Crowley said on the floor of the US House of Representatives.

Crowleyalong with Congressman Ed Royce have moved an amendment to the Homeland Security Appropriations Act 2013 in this regard.

“It is the sense of Congress that the Department of Homeland Security should increase coordination with India on efforts to prevent terrorist attacks in the US and India,” the amendment says.

“The fact is that both the US and India face threats of terrorist attacks. The people of India will never forget the tragedy of 9/11. After all, many of those who were killed were of Indian origin,” he said.

“The people of the US looked on in horror as terrorists carried out the brutal Mumbai attacks. In those attacks, terrorists killed not only Indians but Americans as well. 9/11 and Mumbai remind us of why it is important that we work together with India, and the people of our two countries remind us of why we must sustain and deepen that cooperation even further,” Crowley said.

Al Qaeda strengthens in Yemen, as officials say significant presence in six provinces

FILE: Jan. 24, 2009. The leader of al Qaeda in Yemen, Nasser al-Wahaishi, second from right, is surrounded by deputies in an Internet video. (Reuters)

By Catherine Herridge , June 08, 2012

Hundreds of hardcore Al Qaeda fighters are believed to be occupying the southern and eastern regions of Yemen in an effort to expand a safe haven and strengthen forces, U.S. officials familiar with the situation tell Fox News.

The officials described the threat to the U.S. as consistent and persistent.

“We work on the assumption that  (Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula) is coming after America every day,” the officials said. These are “extremists who joined a violent death cult. Their goal is to martyr themselves.”

They also said Al Qaeda has been able to leverage the Arab Spring movement in which Arab citizens revolted against governments in Egypt, Libya and elsewhere, making sizeable gains since March of 2011. 

U.S. officials say there is now a significant presence in six Yemen provinces, centered around Abyan in the south and compared to three provinces a year ago.

In recent weeks, the Yemeni military has been able to bring the group’s expansion to a temporary halt. U.S. officials described this development as positive news.

The officials also said Saudi-born Ibrahim al-Asiri is the top bomb technician and that he is actively training replacements. They said the training is to avoid “a single point of failure” should he be taken out.

Fox News was told that four significant plots, including two targeting the U.S. airline and cargo industry, were developed in the group’s safe haven.